Dispensing faucet



Jan. 9, 1945. L, T, WARD 2,367,077

DISPENSING FAUCET Filed May 18, 1942 8,.; fag? I da/@gior 47 L' 40 ldzz(re/zffe7%fa 45 y ,ml/ www Patented Jan. 9, 1945 UNITED STATE msPENsING FAUcE'r Lawrence T. Ward, Philadelphia, Pa., assignor to Knapp-Monarch Company, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application May 18, 1942, Serial No. 443,453 12 claims.` ((1222-18) invention has to do with a dispensing faucet which employs compressed gas bulbs for supplying the dispensing pressure, the gas therefrom being under control of the faucet in addition to the handle of the faucet being operable to control liquid flow from the faucet.

One object of the invention lis to provide a dispensing faucet having an 'operating handle formed by a compressedgas bulb holder, the liquid valve of the faucet being openable as desired, and upon the, final opening movement effecting the opening of a gas valve for admitting gas from the compressed gas bulb in the faucet handle to the liquid container for displacing the liquid therefrom.

Another object is to provide a faucet designed to be used in conjunction with a `container of My present liquid or beverage which has a delayed pressure action, that is, the liquid valve opens first, allowing the liquid or beverage to be drawn off until the pressure within the container is reduced, further'opening of the dispensing rfaucet then causing the gas valve to be opened to admit additional gas to replenish the reduced pressure.

Another object is to provide a dispensing faucet wherein a' single movement of the faucet handle controls the withdrawal of liquid and the introductionA of dispensing pressure.

Still another object is to provide a dispensing faucet wherein a tapered stem or other type of rotary valve may be rotated by manipulating the handle thereof, a. screw-threaded or needle type of valve being associated with the liquid dispensing valve for controllingl the flow of compressed gas into the liquid or beverage container.

Still a further object isl to provide a gas valve designed to remain inoperable until the faucetv handle has been moved most of the way from closed position to full open position of the liquid valve, further movement of thehandle thereupon causing the gas valve to be opened for admitting gas under pressure into the container, as desired.

With theseand other objects in view, my in- -vention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of my device wherebythe objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed outin my claims and illustrated 'in the accompanying drawing. Although the invention is susceptible of a variety of embodiments, it is unnecessary to fully describe and illustrate more than one in order to give a full understanding ofthe invention both from its structural and functional standpolnts. Accordingly, I have illustrated a. preferred and desirable embodiment of the invention in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through a dispensing faucet embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 2-2 thereof, showing the liquid valve ofthe faucet in closed position;

Figure 3 is a similar sectional View showing the liquid valve in partially opened position;

Figure 4 is a similar sectional view showing the liquid valve moved past wide open position;

Figure 2a is a sectional View on the line 2a-2a of Figure 1, showing certain parts of the gas valve of the dispensing faucet in the position assumed corresponding to the liquid valve in its Figure 2 position;

Figures 3a and 4a are similar sectional views showing the gas valve mechanism of Figure 2 in the positions assumed thereby corresponding to the Figure 3 and Figure 4 positions respectively of the liquid valve; and

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view similar to a portion of Figure 1, showing the gas valve in open position.

On the accompanying drawing I have used the reference character B to indicate generally a valve body, and H the handle of the faucet. The Valve body B has a spout Ill in which a liquid discharge passageway I2 is formed. The passageway I2 communicates with a syphon tube I3, depending from the valve body B into a container C, suchas a barrel or keg, the bottom of which is indicated at I4 and the top thereof indicated at I5.

The valve B has a threaded portion I 6 on which a union nut is threaded. 'I'he nut I1 rotates on a nipple I 8 threaded into a bushing I 9 in the con- .tainer head I5. A suitable gasket |90, is provided for sealing the union joint. The parts I6, I1 and I9 permit ready detachability of the valve body B with respect to the container C for changing from one empty container to a full one.

The valve body B has a tapered bore 20 in which is rotatably mounted a tapered valve stem 2|. The valve stem 2| is retained tight in the bore 20 by a pressure spring 22 backed by a retainer nut 23. The spring 22 is interposed between the head of the nut 23 and a. flange 24 surrounding the valve stem' 2|. 'Ihe valve stem 2| constitutes a liquid valve which has a passageway 25 therethrough to register with the and a holder 21 for a gas bulb 28. The neck of the gas bulb 28 is adapted to be sealed in a rubber sleeve 28 when the holder 21 is screwed onto the fitting 2 8, and to be pierced by a piercl slow flow of gas therethrough. The gas that passes through the insert then enters a passageway 34 in the valve body 28. 'Ihe liquid valve stem 2| has the gas passageway 38 extending vertically therethrough and communicating at its upper end with the passageway 34. At the lower end of the passageway 35 a pressure valve seat 38 is provided.

A gas valve plug31 is screwed into the lower end of the valve stem 2| for coactlon with the seat 88. The valve plug 31 has a serrated portion 38 on which is slidably and non-rotatably mounted a sleeve 38. The sleeve 38 is serrated to t the gas valve plug 31. The purpose of the serrations 38 in the gas valve plug 31 is to permit adjustment of the sleeve 38 when the faucet is assembled and to take care of wear, if any, on the gas valve seat 38 after the faucet has been in use for some time.

The sleeve 38 has a stop lug 48 projecting therefrom. A coilspring 4| has ends 42 and 43 hooked over the stop-lug 40 and extending into a socket 44 of the valve stem 2|, with the spring under tension to normally rotate the valve plug 31 to seated position with respect to the seat 38. The valve plug 31 has a head or nut 45 on its lower end to retain the sleeve 38 in position.

The sleeve 38 and the nut 45 are rotatable in a bore 48 of the valve body B, whereas the stop lug 40 swings in an enlarged portion 41 of the bore 48. The enlarged portion 41 terminatesat its ends in stop shoulders 48 and 48. To show a. maximum of detail in Figure 1. the sleeve 39 is shown about 90 degrees from its true position with relation to the stem 2|.

Practical operation In the operation of my valve, the handle H is normally left in the closed position indicated as H1 in Figure 2. The sleeve 38 and its stop lug 40 and the hooked ends 42 and 43 of the gas valve spring 4| at that time assume the position shown in Figure 2a. The same position of these parts is shown in Figure l, whereas the handle H and the valve stem passageway 25 arel shown in open position to facilitate disclosure of the details thereof.

opening occurs. due to the valve plug now being retained against rotation by the stop lug 48 having engaged the stop shoulder 48 and thereby prevented from further rotation. The valve stem 2|, however, is rotated further, as evidenced by the position of the passageway 25 in Figure 4, and the end 43 of the spring 4| in Figure 4a. Since the valve plug 31 is threaded left-hand, this will cause unscrewing of the stem 3|l with respect to the valve plug 31 and thereby a slight opening of the valve 38-31. This open position is shown in Figure 5,

Gas from the bulb 28 now passes through the piercing pin 38, the fitting 3|, the insert 33, the passageway 34 and the passageway 35, thereupon flowing around the threads of the valve stem 31, which may be loose enough to permit such flow, and then enters a passageway 50 laterally from the bore 20, communicating with a vertical passageway 5| surrounding the syphon tube i3. The passageway 5| communicates with the nterior of the container C adjacent the top thereof, so that the gas is thereby introduced on top of the liquid for displacing it through the syphon tube and the spout lll..

When the handle H is returned from the open `position H3 to the closed position H1, initial movement permits the valve plug 31 to be closed under action of the spring 4| by the time the position of Figures 3 and 3a is reached. Thereafter, the passageway 25, through the stem 2i, is rotated to cut olf communication with the passagewayl2.

From the foregoing description it will be obvious that I have provided a dispensing faucet which permits the liquid to be withdrawn at the same time the dispensing pressure is applied, or if dispensing pressure is present in the container, then only the liquid valve need be opened,

In the closing cycle, the gas valve shuts rst,

When it is desirable-to dispense liquid, if there Y is pressure in the container C, it is merely necessary to move the handle H to, or nearly to, the position indicated at H2 in Figure 3. It will be noted that the passageway 25 now communicates with the passageway I2 so that liquid can flow through the valve and out of the spout In. The valve plug 31 is still closed against the valve seat 38 as the valve plug and the spring 4| have moved as a unit with the valve stem 2| to the position shown in Figure 3a.

If the pressure in the container C decreases to such an extent that it will no longer displace liquid through the spout I0, or if there was not enough pressure in the container C to cause such dispensation, then the handle H can be moved further, as to the position H3 in Figure 4, which will cause an opening of the valve Plug 31. Such 1| while the liquid passage is still open, so that in the event too much gas has been admitted to the container C, it may be partially dissipated by dispensing liquid from the spout Il! before the liquid valve 2| is closed. A faucet of this character has a variety of applications. It can be used for dispensing most any type of liquid, such as water, beverage, chemicals, food concentrates and syrups, which are subject to oxidation. It can be used on containers of from one to fifty gallons or more capacity, as one of the bulbs 28 has a capacity for dispensing approximately a gallon of liquid. Therefore, by using additional bulbs, the capacity of the faucet is increased to any extent desired. The faucet is particularly adapted to dispensing beer or carbonated beverages, because CO2 gas is present in both, and the bulbs 28 are usually charged with CO2 gas. A dispensing faucet of the type disclosed thereby supplants costly pressure systems now used for beer and fountain dispensation.

The bulbs 28, of course, need not be filled with CO: gas. If the liquid to be dispensed needs to be free from taste or chemical reaction, the contents of the bulbs could be of a different gas or air, or a combination of gases or air and gas.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts of my device without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims any modified forms of structure, or use of mechanical equivalents, which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a dispensing faucet, a valve body having said passageway.

v thereof.

. handle foropenin e spout. s liquid aisehsrge passageway throughv said body -and spout, a syphon tube depending from said body for positicnlng in s. container adjacent the bottom thereof, a liquid valve in uid valve, a compressed gas bulb carried in said handle, said liquid valve having a gas passageway therethrough, communicating, withsaid bulb and terminating in a valve seat, a gas v alve comprising a valve plug forA seating against said valve seat,-spring means normally retaining said the outlet side of said ahandlefor opening said liq-zy said liquid valve is'opened,`

' way therein, a'syphon valve body and communicating with said passageof the container adjas` 2. In a dispensing faucet, s valve body' having a liquid discharge passageway therethrough, a syphon tube depending fromj said valve body for positioning in a container adjacent vthe bottom a liquid valve in said passageway, a said liquid valve, said liquid valve-having a gas passageway seat, spring means normally retainingsaid valve plug. seated against said valve seat, means for unseating said valve plug from said valve seat 'as said handle is moved beyond a predetermined Point passageway from the outlet side of said gas valve i to the interior of the container adjacent the top thereof.

3. In a dispensing faucet, a valvebody having a bore, .a perforated valve stem rotatable there-Y in, a handle on said stem, said handle including a compressed bulb holder and a piercing pin for the bulb, said way therethrough seat, a gas valve plug threaded in said valve stem and having a lug projecting therefrom, a spring engaging said lug and said valve stem to rotate said gas valve plug to seated position with respect to said valve seat, a stop shoulder in said valve body for said lug to engage at a predetermined position in the rotation of said handle,

whereby further rotation of the handle rotates said valve stem relative to saidA gas valve plug for thereby spacing the gas valve plug from said valve seat, a passageway from the outlet -side of said gas valve to the interior of a container adjacent the top thereof, and a syphon ltube del pending from said valve body into the container adjacentthe bottom thereof.

4. In a. dispensing faucet, a valve body having liquid receiving and discharge passageways, a valve stem rotatable therein and having a lateral opening therethrough to connect said passageways with each other, said valve stem having a gas passageway axially therethrough and terminating in a valve seat, a gas valve plug threaded in said valve stem, means normally rotating said valve plug to seated position on said valve seat, stop means for said valve plug at a predetermined position in the rotation of said stern, a passageway from the outlet side of said gas valve to the interior of a. container adjacent the top thereof, a syphon tube communicating at its upper end with said liquid receiving passageway depending from said valve body into the container adjacent the bottom thereof, and a union fitting for connecting said valve body with said container.

therethrough andterminating in a valve seat, 'a gas valve comprising a valve plug for seating against said valvey valve stem havingv a gas passage- A and terminating in a valve 5. In a dispensing faucet. a valve body including a spout having a liquid discharge passagetube ydepending from said way, said syphon tube being adaptedfor positioning in a container with its` intake yend adjacent the bottom thereof, a liquid valve in said passageway, a: handle for opening saidliquidvalve by rotating-movement thereof, a gas passageway in said liquid valve terminating in a gas valve seat, said liquid valve being threaded beyondl said'valve seat, a gas valveplug for seating against said valve .seat and having a threaded ,stem'coacting with` the threads of said liquid valve, said stem having a'. serrated portion, a sleeve thereon hav.- ing a serrated-borereceiving said serrated portion, said sleeve having a stop lug, a spring coiled around said sleeve and having ends hooked against said lug and into said liquid valve to normally rotate said stem to a position for closing said valve plug against said valve seat, said valve body having a stop shoulder engageable by said atl which said liquid valve is opened, and a.

stop lug upon rotation of said liquid valve to a partially open position; further movement of said liquid valve to open position effecting relative movement of the threads of said liquid valve and gas valve plug whereby to space said valve plug from said valve seat to permit gas to ilow therethrough, said valve body having a gasv passageway from said valve seat into the container adjacent the top thereof.

' 6, In a. dispensing faucet, a valve body including a spoutv having a liquid discharge passageway therein, a syphon tube depending from said valve body and communicating .with said passageway, said syphon tube being adapted for positioning in a container with its intake end adjacent the bottom thereof, a liquid valve in said passageway, a. gas passageway in said liquid valve terminating in a gas valve seat, said liquid valve being threaded beyond said valve seat, a. gas valve plug for seating against said valve seat and having a threaded stem coacting with the threads of said liquid valve, a sleeve slidabie and non-rotatable on said stem, said sleeve having a stop lug,

a spring coiled around said sleeve and having ends hooked against said sleeve and into said liquid valve to normally rotate said stem to a position for closing said valve plug against said valve seat, said valve body having a. stop means engageable by said valve plug upon rotation of said liquid valve to a partiallyopen position, further movement of said liquid valve to open position effecting relative movement of the threads of said liquidvalve and gas valve plug whereby to space said valve plug from said valve seat to permit gas to flow therethrough, said valve body having a. gas passageway from said valve seat threaded stem coacting with the threads of said liquid valve, said stem having a. serrated portion,

a sleeve thereon having a serrated bore receivingy said serrated portion, a. spring coiled around said sleeve and having ends hooked against the sleeve and into said liquid valve to normally rotate said stem to a. position for closing said valve plug against said valve seat, said valve body having stop means for said-stem when said liquid valve is partially open whereby further movement of said liquid valve effects relative movement or the threads of said liquid valve and gas valve plug to space said valve plug from said valve seat.

8. In a dispensingfaucet, a valve body including aspouthaving aliquiddischargepassageway therein, a syphon tube depending from said valve body andcommunicating with said passageway, said syphon tube being adapted for positioning in a container with its intake and adiaccnt the bottom thereof. a liquid valve in said passageway opened by rotating movement thereof, a gas passageway in said liquid valve terminating in a gas valve seat, a gas valve plug for seating against -laidvalveseatandbclngthreadedintosaldliqud valve, a sleeve slidable and non-rotatable on said valve plus. said sleeve having a stop lug, a spring coiled around said sleeve and having ends hooked against said lug and into said liquid valve to normally rotate said valve plug to a position for closing said valve plug against said valve seat, said valve body having a stop shoulder engageable by said stop lug upon rotation of said liquid valve to a partially open position, further movement of said liquid valve to open position eflecting relative movement of the threads of said liquid valve and gas valve plug whereby to space said valve plug from said valve seat to permit gas to ilow therethrough, said valve body having a gas passageway from said valve seat into the container'adiacent the top thereof.

9. In a-dispensing faucet for a container of liquid, a valve body, a liquid valve therein, a handle for opening said liquid valve, a compressed gas bulb carried in said handle, said liquid valve having a gas passageway communicating with said bulb and .terminating in a valve seat, said valve body having a passageway from said valve seat to the container, a gas valve comprising a valve plug screw threadedly carried by said liquid valve for seating against said valve seat,

said plug, when unseated, permitting gas flow' from the gas passageway of said liquid valve to the gas passageway oi said valve body, spring means normally retaining said valve plug seated against said valve seat, and means in said valve body engaged by said valve plug to hold it against further movement with said handle as it is moved beyond a predetermined point to which said liquid valve is opened, saidL means thereupon effecting unscrewing and consequently unseating of said valve plug.

10. A dispensing faucet for a container of liquid comprising a valve body having a spout, a

liquid discharge passageway through said body and spout, a liquid valve comprising a perforated p stem across said passageway, a handle for rotating said stem, a compressed gas bulb, said stem having a gas passageway therethrough, communicating with said bulb and terminating in a valve seat, a gas valve comprising a valve plug threaded in said stem for seating against said valve seat, said plus. when open, establishing communication between said gas passageway of said stem and said gas passageway of 'said valve body, spring means normally rotating said valve plug relative to said stem to retain it seated against said valve seat. said valve plug engaging .aportionofsaidbodyandbeingtherebystopped in rotation while permitting further rotation of said stem to thereby unseat the valve plug from said valve seat as said handle is moved beyond a predetermined point at which said liquid valve has been opened.

11. In a dispensing faucet for a container of liquid, a valve body having a tapered bore, a

tapered valve stem rotatable therein, said valve stem having a gas passageway therethrough and terminating in a valve seat at the inner end of the stem. said valve body having a gas passageway from said valve seat to the container, a gas valve plug threaded in said inner end of said valve stern and having a lug projecting therefrom, a spring engaging said lug and said valve stem to rotate said gas valve plug to seated position with respect to -said valve seat, a stop shoulder in said valve body, said lug engaging thereagainst at a predetermined position in the rotation of said stem whereby further rotation of the stem rotates the threads of said valve stem relative to the threads of said sas valve plug and the valve plug is spaced from said valve seat to thereby open communication between said gas passageway of said valve stern and said gas passageway of said valve body.

12. A dispensing faucet for a container of liquid comprising a valve body having a bore, a. valve stem rotatable therein having a gas passageway terminating in a valve seat, said valve body having agas passageway from said valve seat to said container, a gas valve plug threaded in said valve stem, means to-normally rotate said valve plug to seated position with respect to said valve seat, said valve plug, when unseated, establishing communication between said gas passageway of said valve stem and said gas passageway of said valve body, and stop means for the rotation of said valve plug at a predetermined position in the rotation of said valve stem to thereby unthread the valve plug relative to the stem and effect spacing of said valve plug from said valve seat upon further rotation of said valve stem.

LAWRENCE T. WARD. 

